The Pig Brother, and Other Fables and Stories: A Supplementary Reader for the Fourth School Year

By Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards

The Pig Brother, and Other Fables and Stories is a children's book by Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards. Excerpt: "children were set to reap in a wheat-field. The wheat was yellow as gold, the sun shone gloriously, and the butterflies flew hither and thither. Some of the children worked better, and some worse; but there was one who ran here and there after the butterflies that fluttered about his head, and sang as he ran. By and by evening came, and the Angel of the wheat-field called to the children and said, "Come now to the gate, and bring your sheaves with you."

• Language: English
• Publisher: DigiCat
• Release date: Jul 20, 2022
• ISBN: 8596547100812

Book preview

Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards

The Pig Brother, and Other Fables and Stories

A Supplementary Reader for the Fourth School Year

EAN 8596547100812

DigiCat, 2022

Contact: [e-mail]

Table of Contents

THE PIG BROTHER

THE GOLDEN WINDOWS

THE COMING OF THE KING

SWING SONG

THE GREAT FEAST

THE OWL AND THE EEL AND THE WARMING-PAN

THE WHEAT-FIELD

ABOUT ANGELS

THE APRON-STRING

THE SHADOW

THE SAILOR MAN

GO AND COME

CHILD’S PLAY

LITTLE JOHN BOTTLEJOHN

A FORTUNE

THE STARS

BUTTERCUP GOLD

THE PATIENT CAT

ALICE’S SUPPER

THE QUACKY DUCK

AT THE LITTLE BOY’S HOME

NEW YEAR

JACKY FROST

THE CAKE

OH, DEAR!

THE USEFUL COAL

SONG OF THE LITTLE WINDS

THE THREE REMARKS

HOKEY POKEY

THE TANGLED SKEIN

A SONG FOR HAL

FOR YOU AND ME

THE BURNING HOUSE

THE NAUGHTY COMET

DAY DREAMS

THE PIG BROTHER

Table of Contents

T

There was once a child who was untidy. He left his books on the floor, and his muddy shoes on the table; he put his fingers in the jam-pots, and spilled ink on his best pinafore; there was really no end to his untidiness.

One day the Tidy Angel came into his nursery.

This will never do! said the Angel. This is really shocking. You must go out and stay with your brother while I set things to rights here.

I have no brother! said the child.

Yes, you have! said the Angel. You may not know him, but he will know you. Go out in the garden and watch for him, and he will soon come.

I don’t know what you mean! said the child; but he went out into the garden and waited.

Presently a squirrel came along, whisking his tail.

Are you my brother? asked the child.

The squirrel looked him over carefully.

Well, I should hope not! he said. My fur is neat and smooth, my nest is handsomely made, and in perfect order, and my young ones are properly brought up. Why do you insult me by asking such a question?

He whisked off, and the child waited.

Presently a wren came hopping by.

Are you my brother? asked the child.

No indeed! said the wren. What impertinence! You will find no tidier person than I in the whole garden. Not a feather is out of place, and my eggs are the wonder of all for smoothness and beauty. Brother, indeed! He hopped off, ruffling his feathers, and the child waited.

By and by a large Tommy Cat came along.

Are you my brother? asked the child.

Go and look at yourself in the glass, said the Tommy Cat haughtily, and you will have your answer. I have been washing myself in the sun all the morning, while it is clear that no water has come near you for a long time. There are no such creatures as you in my family, I am humbly thankful to say.

He walked on, waving his tail, and the child waited.

Presently a pig came trotting along.

The child did not wish to ask the pig if he were his brother, but the pig did not wait to be asked.

Hallo, brother! he grunted.

I am not your brother! said the child.

Oh, yes, you are! said the pig. I confess I am not proud of you, but there is no mistaking the members of our family. Come along, and have a good roll in the barnyard! There is some lovely black mud there.

I don’t like to roll in mud! said the child.

Tell that to the hens! said the pig brother. Look at your hands, and your shoes, and your pinafore! Come along, I say! You may have some of the pig-wash for supper, if there is more than I want.

I don’t want pig-wash! said the child; and he began to cry.

Just then the Tidy Angel came out.

I have set everything to rights, she said, and so it must stay. Now, will you go with the Pig Brother, or will you come back with me, and be a tidy child?

With you, with you! cried the child; and he clung to the Angel’s dress.

The Pig Brother grunted.

Small loss! he said. There will be all the more wash for me! and he trotted on.

---

THE GOLDEN WINDOWS

Table of Contents

A

All day long the little boy worked hard, in field and barn and shed, for his people were poor farmers, and could not pay a workman; but at sunset there came an hour that was all his own, for his father had given it to him. Then the boy would go up to the top of a hill and look across at another hill that rose some miles away. On this far hill stood a house with windows of clear gold and diamonds. They shone and blazed so that it made the boy wink to look at them: but after a while the people in the house put up shutters, as it seemed, and then it looked like any common farmhouse. The boy supposed they did this because it was supper-time; and then he would go into the house and have his supper of bread and milk, and so to bed.

One day the boy’s father called him and said: You have been a good boy, and have earned a holiday. Take this day for your own; but remember that God gave it, and try to learn some good thing.

The boy thanked his father and kissed his mother; then he put a piece of bread in his pocket, and started off to find the house with the golden windows.

It was pleasant walking. His bare feet made marks in the white dust, and when he looked back, the footprints seemed to be following him, and making company for him. His shadow, too, kept beside him, and would dance or run with him as he pleased; so it was very cheerful.

By and by he felt hungry; and he sat down by a brown brook that ran through the alder hedge by the roadside, and ate his bread, and drank the clear water. Then he scattered the crumbs for the birds, as his mother had taught him to do, and went on his way.

After a long time he came to a high green hill; and when he had